How to find your fitness motivation | and how I am getting on with Activate You from 261 Fearless!

The Activate You programme from 261 Fearless has been designed to support you to get more active, especially for women over 50!  To provide the information, inspiration and motivation you need to start and continue on your journey to a fitter,  healthier and more active you.  The Activate You programme guides you through a process to gradually increase your exercise with reminders and plenty of encouragement.  It is an online programme to help you find new habits over a 12 week period. 
​
I wrote about Activate You on the blog a few weeks ago, to introduce you to the programme and now I am back with an update on how I am getting on with trying it out.

This is a sponsored blog post.

A walk along the River Thames with a friend never feels like exercise!

How to start exercising again​

Some research from gym chain Fitness First caught my eye recently, apparently they say that our fitness levels slipped during the lockdowns and we are now suffering from FOWO (Fear of Working Out).  Of those polled, 45% said they are still stuck in the fitness doldrums!  Apparently one in five of us bought new exercise equipment for use at home but only 5% are still using it!  Does that sound familiar?

When the first lockdown arrived it all seemed like a bit of short term fun!  Oh how wrong we were.  I had just tidied up my log cabin (AKA my home gym) and was embarking on a new drive to up my fitness commitment.  Then a few weeks later the space had to get taken over by my son so he could work from home.   So I swapped to walking, I think being told I could only go outside my home and garden for exercise, made me jolly determined not to waste that opportunity.  Plus the amazing dry weather of 2020 and the need to escape the demands of the whole family back at home, made it all a lot easier.  

So why didn't I keep that up?  Winter, a lot of mud, a lot of tree felling in our woods created even more mud, and the slow return to an emptier house, I became obsessed with being at home and taking full advantage of that time.  In December I worked with a new PT (and documented it on my blog), I did really well, then life took over again and overwhelm happened.

Bisham from the River Thames at Marlow

Holidays, lack of routine, rubbish weather and a feeling that I have forgotten what normal life felt like!  How did I manage my days nearly two years ago??

And stress!  I mentioned in my previous post that I work with a Nutrition Coach and we were discussing last week how much stress can occupy our time and mind and that familiar feeling of overwhelm creeps in and any thought of exercise goes to the bottom of the priority list.

Getting out in nature is good for our physical and mental health

So how do we overcome these challenges?  How can Activate You from 261 Fearless help us to move a bit more, I have been slowly working my way through the journal, recording my thoughts,  trying out the short workout suggestions and learning loads!

I do believe that EDUCATION around nutrition, mindset and movement are key factors in understanding our health priorities.  And I also believe that keeping it SIMPLE is paramount.  If we over complicate our fitness and nutrition and go in on full throttle, we can't maintain it and inevitably leads to us stopping (and feeling like we have failed).

Just walking is a really good way to kickstart your fitness motivation

Fitness motivation

Some tips from 261 Fearless Activate You to help you get started:

You don't need any equipment.
Just wear comfortable clothes and suitable footwear.
Keep it short and simple and build up your time commitment slowly.
Writing down your goals and sharing with others really helps keep you accountable.
You are encouraged to set simple, achievable goals - so for example just add in an extra ten minutes of activity this week or walk a little faster when you take your dog out!

I am now on Lesson 4 - Balance and this week the focus is on the practical barriers that make it hard for us to make exercise a part of our daily life.

Audio workout from Activate You that you can listen to as you walk

When you open your daily 'window' from the Activate You Online Activation Calendar you will get a message or workout, a goal for that day, for example ...

Audio - pop your headphones in, grab some comfortable shoes and head outside.  An audio recording on SoundCloud will accompany you and encourage you to try a short run or a power walk - if you want to!  No pressure.

Games - some interactive fun that informs and educates too!

Video - there are short videos to teach you new exercises, educating on why they are good, as well as lessons on nutrition, mindset and goal setting.

Fitness Motivation Quotes - there are inspiring messages and lots of encouragement along the way.

Remember to reward yourself for your fitness commitment

To keep exercising long term it has to be something you enjoy doing - here are some tips from Activate You for making exercise fun ...

Don't focus on weight loss - focus on how good exercise makes you feel.
Make it sociable - chatting, laughter and good company make the time whizz by.
Go to a new place - visit a local beauty spot for a walk with a friend, explore!
Try something different - how about a kitchen disco or a new sport?
Lose the pressure - forget about distance or speed and just enjoy the scenery and the feeling of wellbeing.

On holiday in Cornwall I really enjoyed trying out Paddle Boarding and the Kayak.  

Find an exercise you enjoy and have fun!

Last week my friend texted me and suggested we meet up for a post-lockdown / freedom day catch up!  We decided on a walk along the River Thames in Marlow.  it was a beautiful mild sunny day.  We walked and talked for 2 hours and then enjoyed a drink in the cafe and more chatting.

It was perfect, I did nearly 12k steps, I felt a lot less stressed, I loved being out in the fresh air, we'd put the world to rights and come up with a list of suggestions on how the government can sort out the mess that is covid!!  

​And most importantly I didn't feel like it was exercise.

So can you go from zero to loving exercise?  Well it is still a work in progress for me but I am beginning to see that we do not have to go from zero to working out five times a week!  That just incorporating some simple, small changes is a really good place to start and that doing something you enjoy makes all the difference.  For me, I love walking and being outside in nature - even better if I am chatting with a friend!

Sign up for Activate You from 261 Fearless before the 31st August 2021 - you can follow the programme at your own pace, you don't have to run if you don't want to, and you will learn how to stay active regularly and fit movement into your daily life.

Love from
Michelle xx

​
Disclaimer: this is a sponsored post with 261 Fearless and I have been gifted the 12 Week Activate You membership and the 261 Fearless fitness outfit.​

I love a fitness motivation quote!

---

Other blogs I link up with:

Is This Mutton
#WowOnWednesday 

​Mummabstylish
#Chic&Stylish

---

Pin it for later!